Space Run Galaxy

This post is from the now defunct website “A GameDev Plays…”, copied here for posterity

Like transporting cargo across the galaxy? Well you are in luck, because
that is the entirety of better-than-it-sounds Space Run
Galaxy, with short, action-oriented tower
defense (huh?) gameplay.

In Space Run Galaxy you are a member of an intergalactic transport
company. Various organisations give you cargo of various sizes and
configurations to be moved to another star system. These are placed upon
your 2D hex based ship before starting the 5-10 minute journey to the
destination. Along the way you are attacked in tower defense style, with
waves of enemies coming in known patterns. Also like tower defense you
can place various equipment (guns, engines, repairers, etc) on your ship
to defend it and these then act independently of your command. This
gameplay loop is repeated ad nauseam. There is a campaign, but the
missions are all the same - move stuff. Items and ships can be levelled
up by the purchase of resources and then crafting improvements. The
issue is that resources stay where they were acquired unless moved (see
basic gameplay loop). This means the game can become a bit of a grind
with much time spend moving items around in order to progress. Or, you
could get other players to move them for you. This highly integrated
online component is limited to transport contracts, but means the game
requires a constant link with game servers - ensure you have a good
Internet connection! I’m not sure the extra missions available from
player contracts is worth it - they are all just the same as the
campaign missions and just seem like more of a grind. This game has a
good idea, well implemented, but has perhaps given up too much
single-player balance for its always online additions.

Space Run Galaxy is out on the Steam
store for PC only at
US$19.99. It has been bundled.